Quick-adjusting wrench



A. CARP.

QUICK ADJUSTING WRENCH.

APPLICATION HLED 1m23.191s.

1 1 93,509 Patented Aug. v8, 1916.

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r /f/f A. CARP.

QUICK ADJUSTING WRENCH,

APPLICATION man 1m23.191s.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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ARTHUR CARP, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

QUICK-ADJUS'IING WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed January 23, 1913. Serial No. 743,747.

To all ywhom 'it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR CARP, a citi- Zen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick-Adjusting Vrenches, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved quickadjusting wrench, and consists in the novel construction hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

rIhe object of my invention is to provide an improved quick-adjusting wrench especially adapted for use in automobile work where quick adjustment is much desired, and which wrench shall be capable of quick and close adjustment to the nut, and which shall at the same time be reasonable in price as well as durable in construction.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my invention arranged as a pipe wrench; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the jaw end of the pipe wrench, with part of the casing broken away and with the jaws in a different position from that in which they are shown in Fig. 1; Fig. et is a cross section taken on the line 4 1- of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a partial side elevation of a portion of the wrench showing the sliding jaw distended; Fig. 'l' is a sectional side elevation of a modified construction; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of an additional modified construction; Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation of an additional modified construction; and Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the wrench of the modified construction shown in Fig. 9 with the parts in different adjustment.

The numeral 1 indicates the handle or casing of the wrench, which is preferably constructed of a single piece of materialin rectangular form, with the front side of its handle portion open and also devoid of end walls. The casing 1 is preferably stamped from a fiat blank, and afterward formed in the shape desired. j

The numeral 2 indicates the shank of the inner jaw 3, and said shank is secured to the casing by means of rivets fl. To more securely hold the fixed shank 2 I provide the same on opposite sides with grooves or def pressions 4, and press into the casing corresponding ribs 4b, which lit into said depressions of the shank.

A rectangular recess is formed in the front edge of the casing by cutting away the walls thereof, and located in said recess is an adjusting screw 6 having formed integral therewith a knurled portion 7, which latter may be used as a handle in rotating said screw. Said screw 6 is loosely mounted to rotate `upon a journal 8 projecting from one end of a rock-lever 9, which is pivoted on a suitable screw 10 engaging the opposite walls of said casing.

The numeral 11 indicates the sliding jaw which is provided with an integral shank 12 arranged to slide within said casing and provided in its front edge with a series of ratchet teeth 13, with which the threads of the said vscrew 6 engage. The threads of said screw 6 are also in the form of ratchet teeth, of such form as to fit said teeth of said shank 12.

The numeral 14 indicates a coil spring mounted between the inner end of the shank 12 and a lateral projection 15 at the inner end of the said rock-lever 9, the purpose of said spring being to automatically project the said sliding shank and its jaw, and also to normally urge outwardly the outer end of the said rock-lever and correspondingly urge inwardly the screw-journal S carried by said inner end of said rock-lever, and thereby normally urge the ratchet threads of said screw 6 into contact with the teeth 13 of the sliding shank.

The outward movement of said shank 12 is limited by a stop 16 formed in said casing by pressing the metal of the casing inwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, a lateral projection 17 on the inner end of the sliding shank 12 contacting with the said stop for the purpose mentioned.

The outer end of said screw 6 is provided with a suitable bearing which securely connects said screw with said fixed shank during the operation of turning a nut or pipe. This screw-bearing may be of the following construction, or it may be of the modified construction hereinafter described. The outer end of the screw G is provided with an integral pintle 17, which is normally mounted in a socket or cup bearing 18 formed in the inner end of the said fixed shank 2.

The jaws 3 and 11 for turning pipes are provided with the usual oppositely projecting pipe-gripping teeth in their faces, and the aw 3 is preferably mounted to rock upon a segmental bearing 19 at the outer end of said fixed shank, so that said jaw 3 may assume an angle in gripping a pipe,'as indicated in Fig. 3. The said jaw 3 is normally tilted, as shown, by means of a common spring 20, which engages the inner end of said jaw and the adjacent end of said fixed shank.

The said jaw l has a segmental seat 21, which fits the segmental bearing 19, said segmental seat occupying more than a half circle, and thereby retaining said aw in position upon saidA bearing, except when it is removed by sliding laterally while the shank 2 is removed from the casing.

It will be seen that the opposite sides of said casing 1 extend over the bearing 19 and seat 21, thereby holding the jaw 3 in position upon its bearing.

rIhe jaw 3 may be termed a rockingj aw.

In the modified constructions shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, the jaws 3 and 11 are arranged as nut jaws having plane faces, and the inner jaw 3 is integral with the outer end of the fixed shank 2.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, I have reversed the positions of the screw-pintle 17a and its bearing 18, the said pintle being placed upon the inner end of theA fixed shank 2, and its bearing 18 being formed in the outer end of the screw 6. In Fig. 7 I have also illustrated said pintle as a cone'and its bearing also has a corresponding cone-shape. Furthermore, in Fig. 7, I have shortened the screw-journal 8 and placed a coil spring 22 within the bore of the screw, so that one end of said spring will bear against the closed end of the bore and its opposite end will rest in contact with the adjacent end of said journal 8, when said spring 22 will at all times urge the screw toward the bearing at its outer end.

I desire to make it clear that my purpose in providing a bearing at the outer end of d screw is to firmly lock the outer end of the screw to some fixed portion of the wrench during the entire time that strain is imposed upon the jawst during the operation of turning a nut. Thus, it is that the said bearing at the outer end of said screw G holds the threads of the screw firmly in engagement with the teeth 13 of the sliding shank and prevents said teeth from slipping when the wrench is under strain in turning a nut. Y

In the modification shown in Fig..8, I also use the conical pintle 17a and its conical bearing 18, but here their positions are again reversed, the said pintle being located on the end of the screw, while the bearing is in the inner end of the fixed shank 2. Furthermore, in Fig. 8 I have omitted the handle spring 14 as unnecessary, it being seen that the sliding jaw and its shank may be moved outwardly by hand. Furthermore, I have removed the handle end of the rock-lever 9 and, by means of a suitable screw or rivet 23, have'pivoted the said rock-lever to the casing at a point near the screw (i.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 9 and 10 I have omitted not only the handle portion of the rock-lever 9, but also the handle portion of the casing; the casing 1 carrying all of the mechanism, except the sliding jaw 11 and its shank 12, slides upon said shank and may be moved by hand either in or out to adjust the jaws. A stop-pin 24 projects from the handle portion ofthe shank 12 to limit the inward movement of the said casing.

rThe operation is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position in which they are shown in Fi 1, it is obvious that the screw 6 cannot be moved away from the teeth 13, for the reason that the screw-,pintle 17a is locked within its bearing 18 in the fixed shank 2. To release the sliding shank 12 and its jaw 11 so that it may be moved outwardly by the spring 14, the screw 6 is turned to cause the said spring to move the sliding jaw to a position slightly removed from the rocking-jaw 3. In this position the said sliding-shank 12, the4 screw 6 and the screw-pintle 17L may be moved inwardly a slight distance, said screw sliding upon its journal 8 a sufficient distance to release the said pintle from its bearing 18, and thereby permitting the screw to be bodily moved out of engagement with the teeth 13 of said sliding shank. The spring lll then causes the sliding-shank 12 and its jaw 11 to be automatically forced outwardly tothe limit of its outward movement, or to any desired adjustment, as may be desired, (see Fig. The operator may cause his fingers to engage the exposed front edge of the rocklever 9, to assist or retard the rocking-movement of said rock-lever. Additional movements of the various parts are obvious and need not be described.

This wrench may be used as a connnon monkey-wrench by simply manipulating the screw G, without making use of its quickadjusting features.

When the parts are in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1, the aws will be securely locked together and the wrench may then be carried without danger of the screw 6 releasing and permitting the sliding aw to be thrown outwardly.

In Fig. 6 the sliding jaw' is distended, the said screw 6 having been bodily moved laterally to disengage its threads from the teeth 13 of said sliding shank, the screwpintle 17ft having been withdrawn from its bearing 18, and the said screw slid inwardly on its journal 8 until its knurled portion 7 rests in contact with a shoulder 8a at the base of said journal.

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In adjusting the sliding jaw 11 to fit a nut, the said sliding shank 12 is pushed inwardly, its teeth 13 acting as ratchet-teeth, sliding over the inclined screw-threads of the said screw 6, and said screw rocking and acting as a spring ratchet to hold the sliding shank at any desired adjustment. Immediately upon the operator releasing said sliding j aw', the spring 14 acts to force said sliding shank 12 outwardly, and the said teeth 13 engaging the threads of said screw G restore said screw to its normal position with its pintle 17a within its bearing 18.

Oi' course, it will be understood that my improved wrench may be used as a nut wrench by omitting the jaw teeth.

The operation of the modiied constructions shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive is self-explanatory and need not be further described, except to say that the conical bearing at the outer end of said screw' 6 automatically guides said screw from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 10 into the working position shown in Figs. 7, S and 9.

It will be seen that the spring 22 within the screw 6 urges the screw at all times t0- ward its conical bearing, and said conical bearing forces the threads of the screw at all times toward the teeth 13 of the sliding shank, so that no other spring is necessary to cause the parts to perform the operations mentioned.

I claim:

1. An improved quick-adjusting wrench having a ratchet-toothed shank and relatively sliding jaws, a ratchet-screw for adjusting said jaws, a journal on which said screw is mounted to slide axially and to rotate, a conical-bearing at the outer end or' said screw for locking the screw in a working position, a pivot for the inner end of said journal, and a suitable spring for urging said screw toward said conical-bearing.

2. An improved quick-adjusting wrench having a ratchet-toothed shank and relatively sliding jaws, a ratchet-screw' for adjusting said jaws, a journal on which said screw is mounted to slide axially and to rotate, a conical-bearing at the outerl end of said screw arranged to automatically guide and force the teeth of said screw into engagement with the teeth of said ratchettoothed shank, and also for locking the screw in a working position; a pivot for the inner end of said journal, and a suitable spring within said screw for urging said screw toward said conical-bearing.

A quick-adjusting wrench having relatively sliding aws, a suitable casing, ratchet teeth on one of the relatively sliding parts,

a rocking-journal, a screw having ratchet threads to engage said ratchet-teeth and a knurled portion and mounted on said rocking-journal, a pivot for the inner end of said rocking-journal, a suitable socket-bearing for the outer end of said screw, suitable mechanism arranged to force said screw toward and into said socket-bearing and tightly lock said screw in position while the wrench is under working strain, and a suitable stop to limit the outward movement of said sliding part having the said ratchet teeth.

t. In a quick-adjusting wrench, relatively sliding jaws, one of which is provided with ratchet-teeth, a handle having an open front edge, a rock-lever pivotally mounted within said handle with the front edge of said rocklever exposed through the said open front of said handle, whereby the operators 1ingers may engage said rock-lever either in advance or in rear of the lever-pivotal-point, to assist to retard the rocking movement of said rock-lever, and a suitable screw having ratchet threads to engage said ratchetteeth and carried by the outer end of said rock-lever and adapted to engage the said ratchet teeth on one of the sliding parts, in adjusting the jaws.

5. In a quick-adjusting wrench, relatively sliding jaws, one of which is provided with ratchet-teeth, a handle having an open front edge, a rock-lever pivotally mounted within said handle with the front edge of said rock-lever exposed through the said open i'ront portion of said handle, said opening in the front edge of said handle being large enough to permit the operators fingers to engage said rock-lever either in advance or in rear of the lever-pivotal-point to assist or retard the rocking movement of said rocklever, a suitable screw having ratchet threads and carried by the outer end of said rocklever and adapted to engage teeth on one of the sliding parts in adjusting the jaws, and a suitable spring for throwing the outer end of said lever inwardly and thereby urging said screw toward the teeth on said sliding part.

6. In a wrench, relatively sliding jaws, a shank having ratchet teeth, an adjusting screw having ratchet teeth, a knurled portion at one end of said screw, and an integral conical bearing portion at the opposite end of said screw, all parts of said screw being rotatable and axially and laterally movable together.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR CARP.

Witnesses:

E. L. VALLACE, JOHN C. HIGDoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

